The present invention relates generally to sealing systems to prevent lubricant from escaping from a lubricated system and, more particularly, to a novel sealing system for a housing containing gears or the like operating in a lubricated environment.
Many sealing arrangements exist for sealing the interface between an input or output shaft and a housing with internal components such as gears or the like operating in a lubricated environment. Examples of these type systems are motor and gear reducer arrangements, gear motors, transmissions, pumps and the like. Throughout this specification and claims, gear reducer may be referred to for convenience, but it should generally be understood that such is utilized to encompass the above type systems as well as other equivalent systems.
It is desirable to prevent lubricant from the above type systems from escaping the interior of the housing and thereby contaminating the surrounding areas or producing an unsightly working environment at the interface between an input or output shaft and a sealed lubricated system such as a gear reducer. While numerous sealing systems exist, in the past, such seals have been placed on the side of the bearing assembly that is away from the interior of the housing of the gear reducer or the like and utilized primarily for the purpose of preventing debris and the like from interfering with the operation of the bearings. In such a situation, the seal may be located on the motor side of a support bearing that supports an input shaft for driving a gear reducer. In such an environment, under normal operating conditions, the seal operates in a dry condition, that is, without exposure to the lubricant. Seals operating under such conditions are subject over time to deterioration, thus requiring replacement. In addition, such seals may not effectively prevent lubricant from escaping from the system and thereby leaking in an unsightly and unsatisfactory manner.